Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for March 05, 2019

It’s as pretty as a postcard.

Perhaps you want put on a beach party movie for good measure.

The Sun XIX

That painting was a wise investment. Cheaper and easier than a trip to Palm Springs.

Doug & Doreen are certainly ……………………………. unpretentious, aren’t they? Don’t let them show you slides from their last vacation. Just don’t. Trust me.

With large scale ultra screens, full sized virtual reality isn’t that far away!

I bring sad tidings:

http://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2019/03/04/jerry-van-amerongen-retires-ballard-street-ends/

No more Ballard Street. I’ll miss you all.

Thanks for all of the laughs, Jerry. Enjoy life without daily deadlines.

At least draw the curtains to block the REAL weather…..lol

My beach isn/t that nice, yet.

These days, even in the snow, I’m always on island time.

Very sad. Just found him again. Before the net I would clip ’toons, and some of his, all yellow, are pasted in scrap books. His blobby dogs always make me smile. I hope he adjusts to a life of no deadlines.

The only downside is all that sand in their pants…

As a long time resident of Ballard Street I was really saddened by Mr. Van Amerongen’s retirement announcement but then I thought, Jerry’s been making us laugh at ourselves and the crazy characters on Ballard Street every day, for many, many years. A good number of us are “retired” and enjoying (purportedly) our “golden years”. Hey, Jerry’s kicking 80 in the butt, next year, so isn’t it time that he enjoyed a little R & R ( Retirement & Recklessness ) ?

We are all going to miss Ballard Street and our rather odd neighbors and their pets, but as the old vaudeville maxim goes: Always Leave ’Em Laughing!

Jerry Van Amerongen has always left us laughing. Good luck and enjoy your retirement as much as we’ve enjoyed you over these many years.

And BTW, Jerry, whenever you stop by the Tiki the drinks on me, ole Capt. Linguist. Fair days, strong winds, calm seas, and good sailing to you.

I hate to see it go.

No one’s mentioned the comments. I’ll miss those also. They’re the best on GC.

Best part is no hawkers trying to sell you stuff.. Worst part.. got to make your own drinks.

life is picture perfect.

Where is Ms. Sunshine today? I’m anxious to hear her thoughts on the pending expiration of this wonderful strip…

Mr. A. said that when he retires GoComics is going to continue running the strip. Reruns. Better than nothing, and i’m sure that i’ll see lots of his work that i have missed before.

I’m not giving up my runs in the hedges and bushes yet!

:-( :-( :-( …………..for Ballard Street, but :-) :-) :-) …………………….for Jerry.

Many of us are already following 10-year-old Ballard Street every day, and Cleo and Company at the same time. There are also books. I’ve got Sound Sleeping in the Neighborhood and Keeping Score on Ballard Street. But with books there is no community of readers.

Jus Gots Werd viA OverLand YaK EspreSS… via TurdMunkiStan… Owr GRATE BS Foundur is DeeSidin ta Hang it UP..?? GUd FUR HIM..!!! Wun think Fur Shur… Our BS CumyooniTy aint Goin NOwAre… as Long as GC Keeps ReCyklin (and Keepin BS Green)… We Aint goin NOWARE..!!! As Fur ME… Ah PolyGize Fur Not Czhekin In mutch Laytely… This Munky’s Bin BizYer then a…. a… uh… Wun Armed "nanner Peeler With an ITCH…!!! Ah Normly Only gots a minit ta reed teh Daily Doin’s then berry’d in mah Munky Bidness… Ahl Try Ta bee more Reglar in the near term… Ride On Mr JVA…!!!! Seas ya at teh TIKI…!!!! o.0

good riddance…

WE’RE NOT LEAVING!!

Sheesh!

Please! Nobody go anyplace!

I’m happy for Jerry Van A, if retiring is what he wants to do…

May he enjoy many years of life in the slow lane, munching complementary yak ribs (Sheriff MonkeyBlues’ special recipe) and sipping free banana daks at the Tiki Bar, whenever he’d like to stop by.

I’m very grateful to him for creating this strip, and this neighborhood…. and I’d love for him to see what a wonderful community we’ve made here…

In fact, though I doubt he’s here often, I’m fairly convinced he has popped in a time or two, because of a couple of ideas he seemed to take from it.

I’d say “Thank you, Jerry…. thank you!” to him right here, if I thought he’d see it… but I doubt he’s looking.

Meanwhile…. YES … I DO live here.

Many of us do, even some who don’t realise it.

Ballard Street is always within walking distance of wherever you live… even if you can’t walk.

And we won’t be moving!

A couple of people say I didn’t comment today, but I did…. up there in a couple of replies.

I was sobbing, cos I’m sad to see the end… but really, it isn’t one.

It’s the end of new strips… and I’ll miss them.

But there are many years in the archives most of us haven’t read yet. We’ve already had some repeats along the way,, and nobody noticed.

I’m convinced and Happyx3 has confirmed… (thank you, and where did you read it?) that reruns will start when the strip ends… hopefully the next day, but if there’s a gap, we can weather it.

DennisinSeattle will be selling a supply of weatherproof tarps, I’m sure.

The Tiki will stay open on the last page till another page opens.

Just like on Citizen Dog, Calvin and Hobbes, Doonesbury, FatCats, and other comics I read every day…

We will go on.

Same time, same place.

Cheers.

I’ll be at the Tikki March 30th. I do hope Jerry pops in. He would enjoy seeing the real-life Balladeers who reside in the comments. We are from the Neighbouhood. We ARE the Neighbourhood.

Don’t cry because he will be gone, smile because he was here.